Chapter Ten
(Cesare)
Sabrina Hamilton was his. Amidst everything that had brought him to Maine, brewing concerns back home, and the upcoming legal battle Cesare was actively preparing for, fate had dropped Sabrina into his lap, and he was going to do whatever it took to make her his.
Cesare had never been capable of not thinking. People talked about meditation or various religious techniques to silence the internal chatter. Hell, he’d even tried a few of them in an attempt to find some semblance of inner silence.
But up here in the clouds, beyond cell service and the reach of anyone else in the world, sitting beside the most beautiful woman he’d ever met, Cesare could just be.
She was so damn curious about everything.
What’s more, she listened to everything he said.
He thought he’d show her a few odds and ends on the helicopter, but as they’d gone through the preflight basics, it was obvious Sabrina was listening and learning from what he showed her.
So he showed her more. He’d shown her everything, and he watched with a tender sort of pride as she soaked it all in and asked for more.
It made him want to teach her everything he knew; give her every experience he could share. He wanted to give her the world, for the sole purpose of watching the wonder and delight dance across her face.
Sabrina had fire, but she also had a gentleness about her, too. All of this was wrapped in the most beautifully curvaceous body. And then there was her hair. Her fiery fucking red copper hair. Cesare wondered what it would look like wrapped around his cock.
He was a patient man and would not rush her, but he had already decided; in the end, Sabrina would be his and nothing would stop him from having her.
They flew south to Plum Island, circling the beautiful coastline and enjoying the view of one of New England’s oldest airfields. Cesare coached Sabrina in radioing in as they made their approach.
Plum Island was small enough to have no control tower, but it would help to alert other pilots in the area.
“Plum Island Traffic, Helicopter N2367Y, 10 miles north, inbound for landing, Plum Island.” Sabrina repeated the phrase successfully after a few attempts.
“You’ve got it.” Cesare gave a nod of approval. He glanced at her beautiful lips in appreciation before checking their surroundings once again. “I think you’re ready to say it over the radio. What do you think?” He grinned.
“What buttons do I push again?” Sabrina asked, giving an excited wiggle in her seat.
Cesare laughed at the sight and handed her the radio. “Have you used a radio before?” He asked.
“Often, actually.” She remarked with a wry tone that told him there was a story here. “But never on a helicopter.”
“Well, it’s pretty basic; you just press here and here, and then you speak. When you’re finished, release the buttons.”
“I’m ready.” She bit her lip with a smile.
“Let’s see what you’ve got, then.” Cesare encouraged.
“Plum Island Traffic, Helicopter N2367Y, 10 miles north, inbound for landing, Plum Island.” Sabrina recited evenly, watching Cesare closely for any corrections. When he smiled wide, she released the buttons and let out a whoop. “I did it!” She exclaimed.
“Well done. Are you up to announcing our entry?” He praised.
“That sounds so formal.” Sabrina laughed lightly.
“It’s important.” Cesare answered seriously.
Sabrina smiled. “Walk me through what to say?”
“Of course.” Cesare answered, and proceeded to teach her the verbiage for the upcoming radio call.
They landed without incident in a side field off the landing strip, where several small planes were tied down.
Cesare did a quick check of the systems and equipment as he temporarily powered everything down, and helped Sabrina unbuckle the flight harness before exiting the aircraft.
“Wait there.” He instructed. “I’ll get your door. ”
Sabrina waited, gracing him with a smile when he opened the door for her. “You look good in those shades.” She complimented Cesare, taking his hand as she stepped out.
“You look good in my helicopter.” He answered back with a heated gaze.
Sabrina grinned.
◆◆◆
They ordered hamburger sliders from a bright yellow food truck parked on the side of the on-site aerodrome and ate in companionable silence at an old picnic table.
A mixed crowd of airport patrons and locals dropped in for some of the best street food Cesare had ever eaten. He’d have to bring Dante here.
“Thank you.” Sabrina eventually spoke into the comfortable silence. “This may be the most fun I’ve ever had on a date. I appreciate your taking the time to teach me something new.”
Cesare responded by leaning in slowly to tuck the ever wayward lock of hair behind her ear and out of her eyes. “It was my pleasure.” He nodded. “Truly.”
Sabrina leaned in so that her cheek rested in the palm of his hand, before turning ever so slightly to place a light kiss on the center of it.
She then pulled back and sighed as she took in the view of the golden evening sun playing off the tips of the trees in the distance.
“It’s so peaceful here. And beautiful.” She mused contentedly.
Cesare nodded in the silence, his eyes glued to the sight of Sabrina, reluctant to say anything that would ruin the perfection of the moment. He swallowed thickly. “It is beautiful.” He nodded.
He’d given her this experience, and watching her take so much pleasure from it made him feel like a king.
“Tell me about your family.” He asked a few peaceful minutes later.
Sabrina continued to stare straight ahead, her face pinching with the type of stony sorrow that, to his regret, Cesare knew all too well.
“We’ve had a really enjoyable night, and I don’t want to ruin it.” She answered ruefully. “I loved my parents, but it’s a sad story.” She looked over, and he met her gaze, reading the pain on her face like lines in a book.
“Life can be beautiful and sad at the same time.” He shrugged his shoulders, pleased when she relaxed beside him.
Cesare continued. “I get the sense you’ve been through a lot of loss, but I also get the sense that you are strong. Capable too, and resilient.”
“How would you know that?” Sabrina asked, surreptitiously wiping at a tear that had the nerve to fall down her right cheek.
“Am I wrong?” He asked.
“Why are you psychoanalyzing me?” Sabrina asked shrewdly after a long moment of silence.
“I’m not trying to psychoanalyze you.” He answered, frowning at the word choice. “I want to get to know you so that I know how to... how to take care of you. So I know how to provide what you need.”
Sabrina took a shallow breath and released it slowly. Cesare eyed her profile as she stared off at the tree line in the distance, her lips pursed in that damnable pucker that reminded him of a fucking doll.
“I provide myself with what I need.” She spoke softly, a note of pain in her voice.
“Don’t you get tired, Sabrina?” He asked gently.
She closed her eyes, and another tear fell silently. Her emotional exhaustion threatened to break through her carefully placed veneer of independence. Her distress made his hand twitch.
“My parents grew up in Kittery. They were high school sweethearts, and then they studied marine biology together at the University of New England. They were a whole hour away from home until they finished and came right back to Kittery. At some point it came out they’d gotten married in secret when they were still in high school, which was a bit of a scandal; or so I was told. ”
Sabrina shook her head ruefully. “They never cared what anyone else thought about anything. They were so in love, which is embarrassing when you’re in high school.” Sabrina let out a pained laugh.
“They were just decent, good people.” She continued. “I was born during their final year of college. And they were…” Sabrina broke off, rubbing self-soothing circles at the sides of her temples for a brief moment.
Cesare waited patiently, watching as Sabrina slowly exhaled, and her hands went back down to her lap. She looked back in his direction. “They were the best parents. And I know a lot of people say that shit, but I mean it, Cesare.” She swallowed thickly. “They were so good to us.”
“How many siblings do you have?” He asked.
“One. A younger sister in the Navy.” She answered. “Her name is Brooke. We’re close, but she’s been deployed almost non-stop since the funeral.”
“What happened to your parents?” Cesare asked.
“A car crash. Thanksgiving weekend four years ago.” Sabrina answered hoarsely.
A stab of empathy panged in Cesare's chest; tighter than he was used to. He tugged her into his lap, and to his pleasure, she allowed it. Sabrina lightly rested her head against his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Thank you for sharing that with me.” He intoned, tightening his grip on her in a way that he hoped was comforting. “What were their names?” He asked.
“Fred and Nicki Hamilton.” Sabrina answered quietly, nuzzling into the curve of his neck and relaxing further into the hold. “I don’t talk about them much. Which makes me feel guilty sometimes, but the less I talk about it, the less I feel like the sad girl with dead parents.” She muttered.
“So you were on your own at what, twenty-one? Twenty-two?” Cesare tried to do the math.
“Twenty-two.” She rasped. “Ugh.” She made a sound of disgust. “I really don’t want to cry here, Cesare. It’s too pretty to cry here.” She scoffed, trying to wipe away a tear discreetly.
“I’d hate for anyone to say I made you cry on our first date.” He quipped, as he soothed a hand up and down her back.
Sabrina gave a delicate sniff. “Yeah, what the hell?” She retorted with no real fire in her tone.
Cesare continued to hold her, shifting her into a more comfortable spot. He carefully tucked part of her dress between her body and his.
“You don’t want me to flash the food truck?” She asked dryly.
Cesare shook his head, giving her an amused look. “I don’t share.” He said wryly.
“Hmm.” Sabrina hummed. “Neither do I.”